Harry e



(No Mode1.) l A H. B. KIES.

GAR GOUPLING.

No. 477,258. l PanentedJ-une 21, 1892..

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1||||| Il Mm-"l lil ii i! UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY E. KIES, OF ERIE,VPENNSY`LVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO BENJAMINJ. VALKER, 'OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-CO U PLI N G.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,258, dated June 21,1892.

Application filed November l0, 1891. Serial No. 411.474. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY E. KIES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Iniprovemeuts in Car-Couplers; and l dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichitI appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to car-couplers, and particularly to that classor type of car-couplers known as automatic couplers; and it consists incertain improvements in the construction ihereof, as will be hereinafterfully described, and pointed out in the claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as follows:

Figure lis a horizontal section of the drawhead, taken on the line a; a:in Fig. 3, showing the parts below said line. Fig. 2 is a like viewshowing the parts above said line and showing the knuckle and catch-dogin place in elevation. Fig. 3 is a side elevation with the draw-head invertical section on the line y y in Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a perspective viewof the catch-dog C detached from the machine and iii an invertedposition. Fig. 5 is an elevation view of the catch-dog pin D.

Like letters of reference designatelike parts in all the figures andwill be referred tol in proper place herein.

A is the draw-head and is made in conformity with the rules prescribedby the National Association of Car-Builders as to exterior form anddimensions, so as to operate in connection with other car-couplers nowin use on railroads.

A is a clutch-boss formed on the inner lower wall of the draw-head inposition to receive the catch-dog.

B B is the knuckle, which is pivoted in the jaw ft2 of the head by aknuckle-pin B2, as commonly in this type of couplers, and it has itsshort arm B formed to receive a couplinglink, and has a hole b2 toreceive a couplingpin, as is also common in this type of couplers. Thelong arm B of the knuckle B B is formed at its outer end with a cogformation b b', as if it were a segment of a cog-gear, there being twoteeth b and one interspace b, which are of proper form to mesh with thecog formation on the catch-dog C, the teeth c c, 85e., of which areslightly hook formed or deflected forwardly.`

The catch-dog C is pivoted on a lifting-pin D and has a ratchet-clutch cc', dac., formed on its lower end, which engages with the ratchet-clutchboss A', formed on the inside ot' the bottom wall ot' the draw-head A.On the upper end of the catch-dog C a disk c2 is formed. This catch-dogwill preferably be made of cast-steel and will have all its parts abovenamed formed integral. The object of the disk c2 is to provide a uniformbearingsurface which will contact with the curved side wall a of thedraw-head (see Figs. l and 2) and support the catch-dog independently ofits pivot D against lateral thrust exerted by the knuckle when understrain. The catch-dog can be disengaged from its clutch, so as to movebackward and release the knuckle, by lifting up on the pin D, said pinhaving a shoulder d, which engages a ledge or inset c3 in the centralopening in the catchdog. (See Fig. 2 and dotted lines in Fig. 3.)

The pin D is held against falling out by a head secured thereto by abolt d', which is keyed in place by a key cl2, and an eye d3 is formedon the head to receive a pull chain or cord for lifting the bolt, andthereby lifting the catch-dog off its clutch connection.

The knuckle B B is limited in its inward movement by a stop ct on theinside of the side wall of the draw-head, (see Figs. l and 2,) so thatit can move inwardly far enough to be engaged by the catch-dog.

The operation is as follows: In Fig. 2 the knuckle B B is shown bydotted lines in an open position or ready to receive the engagingdraw-head of a contiguous car. NVhen the coupling is effected, theknuckle is swung into the position shown by full lines in that figureand in Fig. 3. No matter what position the catch-dog may be in, the cogformation b b on the inner end of the long arm B of the knuckle willmeet with the cog formation c on the catch-dog and turn that part untilthe knuckle-arm B abuts against the stop ct on the inside of the sideWall of the draw-head, and as soon as this occurs the clutch-teeth c ofthe catch-dog will engage with the clutchteeth of the clutch A and theknuckle will be rlnly locked against reaction. Vhen the cars are inmotion forward, the knuckle will be under strain and exerting forceagainst the catch-dog; but as it is held by the clutches againstreaction it cannot turn hack, and as it is supported by the abutment ofthe curved Wall ce against the disk e2 it cannot move laterally awayfrom the knuckle and Will firmly resist Whatever force is broughtagainst it. Vhe-n it is desired to disengage the couplings, the pinDwill be lifted by drawing upon it, and this will lift the catch-dog offfrom its clutch engagement, and then it will be free to turn back' andallow the knuckle to turn out into the position shown in dotted lines inFig. 2.

I do not Wish to be limited to any partielllar form of catch-dog,further than that it is to be pivoted and to be provided with a clutchfor holding it against outward movement on its pivot. It need not havebut one tooth or arm c, and the knuckle-arm need not have but one toothor cog at its outer end; but I deem it highly desirable that thecatch-dog have a series of cogs and an equal numberof clutchteeth andthat the knuckle-arm be provided with such a cog formation,as is shown.

l. In a car-coupler of the type herein sh )wn, the combination, with thepivoted knuckle, of a pivoted catch-dog for engaging the inner end ofthe longarm of said knuckle, a ratchetclutch for holding said catch-dog,and means for disengaging said clutch.

2. In a car-coupler of the type herein shown, the combination, with thepivoted knuckle having a cog formation on the inner end of its long arm,of a pivoted catch-dog having a cog formation thereon to engage the cogformation on the end of the kn uckle-arm, a ratchet-clutch for holdingsaid catch-d og, and means for disengaging said clutch.

` 3. In acar-eoupler of thetype herein shown, the combination, with thepivoted knuckle having a cog formation on the inner end of its long arm,of a pivoted catch-dog having a cog formation thereon to engage the cogformation on the end of the knuckle-arm, a ratchet-clutch for holdingsaid catch-dog, having one part thereof formed on the lower end of saiddog and the other part on the draw-head, and means for lifting up saiddog so as to disengage said clutch parts.

Lt. In a car-coupler of the type herein shown, the combination, With thepivoted knuckle, of a pivoted catch-dog for engaging the inner end ofthe long arm of said knuckle, a ratchetclutch for holding saidcatch-dog, having one part thereof formed on the said dog and the otheron the draw-head, and means for lifting said dog so as to disengage saidclutch parts.

5. In a car-coupler of the type herein shown, the combination, with thepivoted knuckle having a cog formation on the inner end of its long arm,of a pivoted catch-dog having a cog formation thereon to en gage the cogformation on the end of the knucklearm, a ratchetclutch for holding saidcatch-dog, formed with one part on said dog and the other part on afixed part of the coupler, and means for disengaging said clutch.

In a car-coupler of the type herein shown, the combination, with thepivoted knuckle having a cog formation on the inner end of itsl longarm, of a pivoted catch-dog having a cog formation thereon'to en gagethe cog formation on the end of the knucklearm, a ratchetclutch forholding said catch-dog, formed With one part on said dog and the otherpart on a fixed part of the coupler and having on each part as manyratchet-teeth as there are cogteeth on the said dog, and means fordisengaging said clutch.

'7. In a car-coupler of the type herein shown, the combination, with thepivoted knuckle, of a pivoted catch-dog for engaging the inner end ofthe long arm of said knuckle, a ratchetclutch for holding said catch-dog, and the shouldered lifting-pin D for lifting said dog anddisengaging said clutch.

S. In a car-coupler of the type herein shown, the combination, with thepivoted k-nuckle having a cog formation on the inner end of its longarm, of a pivoted catch-dog having a cog formation thereon to engage thecog formation on the end of the knuckle arm, a ratchetclutch for holdingsaid catch-dog, means for disengaging said clutch, a bearing-disk onsaid dog, and a curved bearing-surface fitting said disk on the sideWall of the draw-head opposite said knuckle.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HARRY E. KIES.

` Witnesses:

J No. K. HALLock,

B. J. WALKER.

IOC

